A plurality of semiconductor chips are formed on a semiconductor wafer.
A test is made on a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on a semiconductor wafer on the stage prior to being diced into the semiconductor chips. Such test is called the Primary Test (PT).
In the Primary Test, first, a start chip (reference chip) which is the semiconductor chip to be tested first is determined. Starting from the start chip, the test is made sequentially on the plural semiconductor chips.
After the Primary Test has been made, the semiconductor wafer is diced along scribe lines into discrete chips.
The diced semiconductor chips are sequentially transferred, and when the diced semiconductor chips are transferred, it is important to detect the start chip in the Primary Test. The start chip in the Primary Test is detected, whereby the test results can correspond to the respective semiconductor chips.
Related references are as follows:    Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-53474;    Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-136135;    Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-102360; and    Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. Hei 9-306910.